Each cat breed has some characteristic feature that distinguishes it from others. Some have huge eyes and a piercing gaze, others have a flattened muzzle and upturned nose, and others have a luxurious fur coat or unusual colors. But among them there are also those who have non-standard ear shapes. Let's find out what these breeds are called and how to properly care for their unusual ears.
Cat breeds with curled ears
There are more than a hundred cat breeds in the world, and only a few of them have a deformed shell. The most famous owners of folded ears are:
- American Curl;
- Scottish fold cat;
- Ukrainian Levkoy.
In addition to the above mentioned breeds, there are several less popular varieties of cats with curled ears, which also deserve attention:
- Highlander;
- elf;
- kinkalow.
American Curl
This breed of cats with ears bent back appeared in America in the 80s of the last century. Her story began when a couple from California took pity on a stray animal with an unusual appearance. The found cat received the nickname Shulamith and a few months later brought offspring.
At first, the owners thought that the kittens did not inherit their mother’s curled ears. But two of them, at 10 days of age, unexpectedly showed this sign. In 1983, cats with ears bent outward caught the eye of specialists, and from that moment serious work began with them. In 1987, the breed received official recognition from TICA.
The American Curl is a medium-sized cat, weighing between 2.5-5 kg. She has expressive almond-shaped eyes, the shade of which matches the color of her coat, and high-set ears, gracefully curved outward at an angle of 90-180 degrees.
The harmonious cat's body is covered with short or semi-long hair, which has several color options, including color point, tabby, tortoiseshell, links point, bicolor and solid.
The American Curl is distinguished by its sociable character and high intelligence. A cat with inverted ears is easy to train, quickly becomes attached to people and remains optimistic until old age.
How to choose a kitten
The quality of kittens is determined at the age of four months, since it is at this time that the formation of a coil on the ears ends.
As a result, the baby may turn out to be a breeding, show or domestic breed.
Its price will depend on this.
- Domestic cat – first degree, or small degree of ear curl.
- For breeding - the second degree, or a slightly larger curl.
- Exhibition level - third degree, or steep curl.
On a note! The final curl angle cannot be predicted in advance, even if we take into account the curl angle of the parents' ears. Show relatives may well produce kittens of lower quality and vice versa!
The assessment of breeding qualities is carried out by breeders based on the degree of ear inversion, as well as the type and general impression
Kittens are put up for sale immediately after certification has been carried out.
The same age is the minimum for transporting them on airplanes and for participating in exhibitions.
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Like the Scottish Fold cat with the Scottish Straight , a newborn Curl is no different from ordinary kittens, so it is advisable to purchase a representative of this breed only after he reaches four months of age.
Ideally, the ear should be presented as a neat crescent curve
In addition, the price of an American Curl may depend on the pedigree.
For example, if the baby’s parents are Grand Champions, then the baby itself will be quite expensive.
- The price for kittens without documentary evidence under the age of five months ranges from 3-10 thousand rubles.
- The cost of purebred representatives of the pet class is 10-20 thousand rubles.
- The price for purebred curls of breed and show class is from 25 thousand rubles.
When purchasing a pet, be sure to read all the documents and pay attention to its behavior.
In nurseries, animals undergo preliminary socialization, and therefore even young kittens should not be particularly fearful or aggressive
Scottish fold cat
The history of the Scottish Fold began in 1961, when a cat with flattened ears was born on one of the farms. She received the nickname Susie and became the founder of a new breed. Because cats with folded ears are prone to genetic abnormalities and various diseases, they have not been recorded in the UK. The breed was popularized only when American specialists learned about it.
Scottish Folds are medium to large sized cats weighing between 3-8 kg. Their body is covered with short, plush fur with a well-developed undercoat. Representatives of the breed are easily recognized by their rounded heads with full cheeks and large, widely spaced eyes. But the main distinguishing feature of Scottish Folds is their small, forward-curved ears. They must have from 1 to 3 folds. Sometimes the shell fits so tightly to the skull that it seems that the cat is without ears.
Scottish Folds are calm, unobtrusive animals with a gentle and peaceful disposition. They easily adapt to new conditions and quickly become attached to people. Big-eyed cats with folded ears love to take unusual poses and have no problem getting along with children.
Psychology
Representatives of the American Curl breed, like the Thai cat , are characterized by observation.
At the same time, everything she sees is a guide to action for her.
In other words, she draws her basic skills from communicating with her owner.
It is the everyday routine that becomes the main building material for forming an opinion about a person, his habits and needs.
Interesting! Many owners of these cats note that they are indeed very observant and very intelligent. Some pets quickly adopt the habits of their owner and subsequently do quite unexpected things, for example, when lifting the laptop lid, they press the desired button with their paw, or when they turn off the washing machine, they try to extract clean laundry from it with their claws!
Curls are social and their behavior confirms this.
In addition, these pets:
- easy to train - it is enough to simply instill in them not only good manners, but also teach them tricks. At the same time, the methods of education are in many ways similar to those of dogs - after each successfully executed command, it is advisable to reward the American Curl with a treat;
- smart - this cat is able to solve almost any problem, and for this, natural intuition is quite enough for him;
- balanced - American Curls are not prone to mood swings, they never panic and try to maintain a positive attitude in any situation. Like Persians and exotics , they are full of dignity and mostly calm;
- have a stable temperament - this pet does not strive for leadership, does not suffer from star fever and will not try to dominate a person.
With a complete lack of pride, the American Curl will happily fetch toys and balls thrown by the owner
Ukrainian Levkoy
These hairless cats, with forward-curved ears, were bred in 2004 thanks to the efforts of Kyiv felinologist Elena Biryukova. To obtain a new breed, the woman used Don Sphynxes and Scottish Folds. As a result of the experiments, unusual, almost hairless kittens with huge eyes and curled ears were born. The new breed was called the “Ukrainian Levkoy” and quickly gained popularity among residents of many countries.
Ukrainian Levkoys are medium-sized hairless cats with well-developed muscles and a stepped profile. A distinctive feature of the breed are small deformed ears with curved tips with one or two horizontal folds and a thin mouse tail.
You can find out more about the breed in a separate article “Ukrainian Levkoy”.
Ukrainian Levkoys are affectionate and gentle animals with a good-natured and peaceful disposition. Curious and highly intelligent, cats with folded ears are easy to train and try to participate in all household activities.
Application
The American Curl breed is simply created for communication.
This pet will become the best companion, and its canine devotion will only contribute to the fruitful development of relationships.
Moreover, such a cat will show friendliness not only to all family members - he behaves absolutely calmly even in the presence of strangers.
The Curl always treats its owner with special reverence and under any circumstances.
At the same time, he subtly senses the situation and tries to be unobtrusive.
Cats of this breed will be happy to take an active part in all household events and activities.
On a quiet evening, they will watch TV with you and will not remain on the sidelines during general cleaning.
The Curl has a calm character, and therefore he gets along well in families with children.
The cat's natural energy, observation and endless desire to learn something new make the American Curl an almost ideal pet.
Moreover, he is able to find a common language not only with people - this cat will even make friends with a dog, and if it turns out to be a mischievous beagle or an energetic dachshund , then the newly made friends will be happy to play together in the backyard.
And this is another advantage of this breed, because when you are not at home, the Curl will not get bored.
If there are no other pets in your house, then do not forget to leave the cat a few toys and put your photo in a visible place - this will allow your pet to while away a few hours alone.
Features of caring for unusual cats
Cats with curled ears require regular and careful grooming. Their sinks are inspected weekly for unusual discharge and carefully cleaned of dirt and dust. This is done using a cotton pad moistened with a special lotion, being careful not to damage the cartilage.
Otherwise, caring for cats with curled ears is not much different from caring for their regular counterparts. They are also provided with adequate nutrition, preventive veterinary examinations and hygiene procedures.
Cats with curled ears invariably attract attention with their unusual appearance. They all differ from each other in body structure, character and coat type, which is why each of them has its own fans.
Health
According to genetic research, the American Curl is not prone to diseases.
His curled ears are the only mutation that does not carry any consequences.
If you want to learn how to properly clean a cat’s ears, we recommend reading the article https://kot-pes.com/kak-chistit-ushi-koshke/
Characteristic diseases
With proper care and a balanced diet, no health problems were observed.
Although the question regarding the risk of developing defects in cartilage tissue remains open to this day.
American Curl cats have no genetic diseases and are in excellent health.
Vaccinations
It is advisable to purchase American Curl kittens from an experienced breeder who can provide a certificate of health of the animal.
This document will display the history of the vaccination performed and further recommendations.
Representatives of this breed are vaccinated according to a general scheme and no separate vaccines are provided for these cats.
The Curl responds well to vaccination, but two weeks before vaccination, the owner must limit its contact with other animals.
Absolutely healthy pets are allowed for vaccination: with normal body temperature and without the slightest signs of any disease.
